This is from station WKOK 100.9 The Valley. It is about the 14 year old young man that committed suicide on route 11&15 just north of our home the other day:

"Talk continues to focus on bullied teen
LIVERPOOL ? Funeral services are now set for the Midd-West student who cited bullying as the reason for his suicide Friday. 14-year-old Brandon Bitner died when police say he deliberately stepped in front of a truck Friday. A suicide note listed ongoing ridicule as a reason for his action.
Services include a visitation Tuesday evening and a Wednesday morning funeral, at the Garman Funeral Home in Liverpool. The family is requesting donations to the Susquehanna University Youth Orchestra, in lieu of flowers.
The R.I.P. Brandon Bitner Facebook page has had over 1,200 responses. Most discussions on that page focus on frustration over unchecked bullying. There are also several fundraising efforts in honor of the Midd-West teen."

All of us dealt with bullies when we were in school. How has this bully stuff gotten so out of hand? Of course when I was in school being a bully got you paddled, suspended, parents called in and sometimes even the police. I even knew some kids that were expelled for bullying.

Have we forgotten how t o talk to our children? Have we forgotten to teach them how to defend themselves and that it is OK to do so? Why do we let the lawsuit happy types take all of the discipline out of our school systems knowing what the end result will be? Why are we not teaching our children self respect, self discipline and what to do in these situations?

This is so sad because this child along with many others of our kids do not need to die. This was probably totally avoidable. There is a dark cloud hanging around the local communities today. The Bitner family, the truck driver, police, firemen and Paramedics that responded are going to need a lot of support. I am here for them.